"Belly gunner" is a slang term used to refer to a gunner who operates a machine gun mounted in the belly of an aircraft. There are several synonyms for this term, including ventral gunner, flyweight gunner, and turret gunner. The ventral gunner is responsible for defending the underside of the aircraft, while the flyweight gunner is lightweight and quick, able to move around the aircraft as needed to fire at all angles. The turret gunner operates a machine gun mounted in a rotating turret on the top of the aircraft. Each of these terms refers to a skilled and important member of an aircraft crew, charged with protecting the plane and its occupants during flight.